Empire Offshore Wind Draft Environmental Impact Statement

This Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) assesses the reasonably foreseeable impacts on physical, biological, socioeconomic, and cultural resources that could result from the construction and installation, operations and maintenance (O&M), and conceptual decommissioning of two commercial-scale offshore wind energy facilities (Empire Wind 1 [EW 1] and Empire Wind 2 [EW 2]). Collectively, EW 1 and EW 2 are referred to as the Projects, as proposed by Empire Offshore Wind, LLC (Empire) in its Construction and Operations Plan (COP). The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has prepared the Draft EIS under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S. Code [USC] 4321–4370f). This Draft EIS will inform BOEM’s decision on whether to approve, approve with modifications, or disapprove the Projects’ COP.

Please find the two volumes and additional appendices of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) below:

Volume I: Chapters 1-3

• Chapters 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Alternatives
• Chapter 3: Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences

Volume II: Appendices A-L

• Appendix A:  Required Environmental Permits and Consultations
• Appendix B:  References Cited
• Appendix C:  List of Preparers and Reviewers, and Glossary
• Appendix D:  Analysis of Incomplete or Unavailable Information
• Appendix E:  Project Design Envelope and Maximum-Case Scenario
• Appendix F:  Planned Activities Scenario
• Appendix G:  Assessment of Resources with Minor (or Lower) Adverse Impacts
• Appendix H:  Mitigation and Monitoring
• Appendix I:  Supplemental Information
• Appendix J:  Overview of Acoustic Modeling Report
• Appendix K:  List of Agencies, Organizations, and Persons to Whom Copies of the Statement Are Sent
• Appendix L:  Other Impacts

Volume III: Appendices M-N

• Appendix M: Seascape, Landscape, and Visual Impact Assessment
• Appendix N: Finding of Adverse Effect for the Empire Wind Construction and Operations Plan

Volume IV: Appendices O-P

• Appendix O: Alternatives Analysis for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Joint Permit Application
• Appendix P: Environmental Analysis of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal Port Infrastructure Improvement Project (SBMT EA)
  • SBMT EA Appendix A:  South Brooklyn Marine Terminal Port Infrastructure Upgrades, SHPO Letter of No Adverse Effect
  • SBMT EA Appendix B: Photographs of Historic Resources
  • SBMT EA Appendix C: Full Benthic Macroinvertebrate Data
  • SBMT EA Appendix D: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment
  • SBMT EA Appendix E: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Update
  • SBMT EA Appendix F: Supplemental Site Investigation Report
  • SBMT EA Appendix G: Groundwater Sampling Report to Support NYSDEC SPDES Permit for Construction Activity
  • SBMT EA Appendix H: Final Soil Characterization Findings Report
  • SBMT EA Appendix I: Phase II Limited Site Investigation Results Report
  • SBMT EA Appendix J: SBMT Phase II Environmental Site Assessment  
  • SBMT EA Appendix K: Existing Conditions Report
  • SBMT EA Appendix L: Asbestos and Lead Contained Materials Report
  • SBMT EA Appendix M: Construction Equipment Activity Resource Inputs for Air and Noise Modeling
  • SBMT EA Appendix N: Letter with Responses to NYSDEC Technical Comments
  • SBMT EA Appendix O: New York State Environmental Quality Review Act Full Environmental Assessment Form, Part 1, Part 2, and Addendum
  • SBMT EA Appendix P: Supplemental Air Quality and Climate Change Analysis
  • SBMT EA Appendix Q: Data Supporting the Transportation Analyses for Operations and Construction
  • SBMT EA Appendix R: Atlantic Sturgeon Monitoring and Impact Avoidance Plan